Safety toy chest



Oct. 1, 1957 R. P. BERNHARD 2,808,170

SAFETY TOY CHEST Filed Sept. 25, 1956 United States Patent SAFETY TOY CHEST Robert P. Bernhard, Alice, Tex.

Application September 25, 1956, Serial No. 611,936

1 Claim. (Cl. 21757) This invention relates to storage receptacles, and more particularly to a toy chest.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved storage chest for toys which is simple in construction, which is attractive in appearance, and which may be safely opened and closed by a child Without risk of injury to the childs fingers.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved toy chest which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is durable in construction, and which is provided with means for positively preventing injury to a childs fingers from slamming of the lid thereof or from other operation of the lid.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of an improved toy chest constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional detail view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates an improved toy chest according to the present invention. The toy chest 11 comprises a generally rectangular enclosure having a horizontal rectangular bottom wall 12, a rectangular vertical front wall 13, a rectangular vertical rear wall 14, and transverse vertical end walls 15, 15. As is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, the rear wall 14 and the transverse vertical end walls 15, 15 rise a substantial distance above the level of the top edge 16 of front wall 13. The upper edge portions of the end walls 15, 15 are arcuately shaped, as shown at 17, whereby said edge portions slope downwardly and forwardly toward the lower vertical front edge portions 18, 18 of end walls 15, 15.

Rigidly secured between the end walls 15, 15 and to the intermediate portion of rear wall 14 is a longitudinally extending hinge-supporting board 19 which is arranged horizontally and which is located above the level of top edge 16 of the front wall 13. Designated at 20 is a rectangular cover or lid which is hinged to the board 19, as shown at 21, 21, namely, on an axis parallel to and adjacent the rear wall 14, since the board 19 is relatively narrow, the lid 20 being shaped to closely fit between the end walls 15, 15 and to overlie the top edge 16 of front wall 13 when in its horizontal, closed position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Secured to the inside surfaces of the end walls 15, 15 are respective block members 22, and secured on said Patented Oct. 1, 1957 block members 22 are respective deformable resilient cushioning members 23, of rubber, or the like, the cushioning members 23 being engageable beneath the end portions of the lid 20 to limit descent of the lid to a position wherein it is spaced sufliciently above the top edge 16 of the front wall 13 to prevent a childs fingers from being compressed between the lid and said top edge 16 when the lid is rotated from its open position, shown in dotted view in Figure 2, to its horizontal closed position, shown in full line view in said figure.

Therefore, it will be readily apparent, that by the provision of the resilient stop members 23 beneath the opposite end portions of the lid 20, the lid cannot slam down on a childs fingers while the child is closing the toy chest, since the clearance between the top edge 16 and the lid 20, in its closed position, is sufiicient, to prevent the childs fingers from being compressed between top edge 16 and said lid. Furthermore, since the lid closely fits between the inside surfaces of the respective end walls 15, 15, a child connot catch his fingers between the end edges of lid 20 and said end walls.

It will be further apparent, that, due to the provision of the normal clearance between lid 20 and top edge 16, when the lid is in its horizontal position, it is relatively easy for a child to grasp the lid when opening same, whereby the toy chest may be easily opened by the child without requiring the assistance of another person.

As will be further apparent, the toy chest may be employed as a settee, since the lid 20, when in closed position, may serve as a seat, and the end walls 15 may serve as arms, in view of the elevated position of end walls 15 and rear wall 14 with respect to the lid 20.

While a specific embodiment of an improved safety toy chest has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A safety toy chest comprising a generally rectangular enclosure having a horizontal bottom wall, a vertical front wall, a vertical rear wall, and vertical transverse end walls, said rear wall and end walls rising a substantial distance above the level of the top edge of said front wall, a generally rectangular lid hinged to the upper rear wall of said enclosure on an axis parallel to and adjacent the rear wall, said lid closely fitting between said end walls and being rotatable between an open first position engaging said rear wall and a closed second position overlying the top edge of said front wall, respective block members secured to the inside surfaces of said end walls, and deformable resilient cushioning members secured on said block members and being eugageable beneath the end portions of said lid, said cushioning members being formed and arranged to limit descent of said lid to a position wherein it is spaced from said top edge.

Bishop May 13, 1862 Rubin Ian. 16, 1940 

